Chapter 1: Home Sweet Home
Outside the open window, birds chirped happily in tuneful song. The joy in their bodies emerged in notes and bled into the sky, filling the small, beautiful town of Veil Hill, the secret community in the deep, undiscovered hills of Maine, with the unbound thrill of life.
At the foot of the bed, the massive, black, furry German Shepherd lay with outstretched paws and snout buried between them, gentle snores emitting from somewhere deep in his throat. Sammy's tail periodically wagged gently in his sleep, and now and then his ears and paws twitched as he dreamt.
The curtains, half open, half closed, allowed morning light into the room. Quiet, soft shades of orange and yellow and pink rolled themselves out like reels of wallpaper across Tony's bedroom as the sun dared to poke its head above the parapet of the horizon, ready to tackle another day.
It was Friday, and for Tony, that didn't mean no work; but it meant he didn't have to go into work till twelve, so it was a lazy morning with a proper breakfast, a trip to the cafe. It was a slow, happy start and a short day in the lab, and then it was a slow and easy night as late as he pleased, with Saturday being his day off. Saturday would be a whole day of laziness. It would be a day of orange juice and coffee in the morning and wine in the evening, and warm bedsheets to shield his body from the northern chill at night. Nothing exciting or extraordinary would happen. Nothing phenomenal or frightening. Tony wouldn't travel, and he wouldn't see amazing things in the amazing world that existed beyond the valley of hills in which he had lived for the last six years; but that was perfect, and Tony wouldn't have it any other way.
"I can't believe I get to wake up next to you."
Tony smiled before he turned his head to look at Mike. He was lying on his front, half of his back peeking above the blanket, sunlight glancing off the tails of his tattoos. For the first time since Tony had known him, his jaw was clean shaven and smooth, but he still showed off those rough edges. He had his beautiful wells of hazel, shining, dotted with all of the stars and tragedies he'd ever seen, and his turn-down nose and his soft mop of dark hair, and he still had his rough edges. Mike Fuentes was all rough edges, with some parts that had been sanded down by experience, and Tony always remembered that.
"Morning," Tony smiled, and Mike reached one hand over to stroke a thumb over Tony's cheek. Tony let his heart flutter at the contact, and his smile widened immeasurably. With his own hand he took hold of Mike's and lifted it gently to his lips, kissing the fingers softly.
Mike carefully dislodged Tony's grip and let his finger trip a few inches down his chest, and his index finger traced over the script that ran across Tony's chest from clavicle to clavicle. "This one is my favourite," he grinned, and then, his voice taking on a sing-song quality:
"For there is no friend like a sister,
In calm or stormy weather,
To cheer one on the tedious way,
To fetch one if one goes astray,
To lift one if one totters down,
To strengthen whilst one stands."
"Geek," Tony huffed, and Mike laughed and shuffled over and kissed him.
Content, lost in the taste of unmistakable sweet and sour, Tony hummed against his lips. In his gut a thousand butterflies surged, and in his mind a hundred images flickered, brought to life by the feeling of velvet skin meeting and Mike's tongue swiping over the soft pink skin of Tony's lip...
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Before I Ran || Perrentes
FanfictionTony does not fit. He never has, and he knows it. He's too tall, lanky, opinionated. Kind. Generous. Gentle. He isn't like the rest. But one terrifying afternoon shows Tony his character traits don't just make him different - they make him a target...
